1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an actuator of a type using a vibrating plate, and to a timepiece and a notification device using the actuator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure for amplifying vibrations of the vibrating plate so as to output them as vibrations in an in-plane direction.
2. Background Art
In a calendar display mechanism for displaying a date, a day, and so forth in a wristwatch or the like, it is common for the rotational driving force from a step motor to be intermittently transmitted to a date indicator or the like through a watch-hand-driving train wheel so as to intermittently advance the date indicator or the like.
In addition, a sound producer is mounted in a so-called portable electronic device, such as a pager and a mobile phone, and receipt of a message is notified to a user by producing an audible sound from the sound producer. Since it is not adequate for the device of this type to produce the audible sound in some circumstances, a vibration generator (vibrator) is mounted therein, and the receipt of a message is notified to the user by sensible vibrations generated from the vibration generator.
However, in order to achieve a reduction in the thickness of a wristwatch, it is necessary to achieve a reduction in the thickness of a mechanism for calendar advancement; however, a conventional mechanism cannot achieve such a reduction in thickness. In addition, in recent years, actuators using piezoelectric elements have been used for camera shutters, ink-jet heads of printers, etc. Since these conventional actuators amplify and output bending vibrations of the piezoelectric elements in an out-of-plane direction as vibrations in the out-of-plane direction, it is necessary to arrange various types of components in the out-of-plane direction of the piezoelectric elements. Accordingly, it is difficult to achieve a further reduction in thickness in the conventional actuators.
In addition, in order to standardize mechanical systems of a timepiece with a calendar display mechanism and a timepiece without such a display mechanism, it is necessary to construct the calendar display mechanism on the side of a dial; however, it is impossible for an electromagnetic step motor to achieve a reduction in thickness to such an extent that the calendar mechanism can be constructed on the side of the dial.
Further, in order to automatically perform the date correction associated with a month with 30 days or fewer, a 31-day month, and a leap year, changeover of a mechanism section is required. However, since it is difficult for a thin timepiece main body to contain such a changing mechanism, there has been an inconvenience in that the date correction must be performed manually.
In addition, since the conventional sound producer and vibration generator mounted in the portable electronic device, such as a pager and a mobile phone, include a vibrating member and an exciting means, respectively, they occupy a large space in the portable electronic apparatus, and constitute a considerable portion of the weight. Accordingly, mounting both the sound producer and the vibration generator in the device of this type causes a problem of preventing a further reduction in size and weight of the portable electronic device.